The present disclosure relates generally to medical sensors and, more particularly, to low power medical sensors.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the field of medicine, doctors often desire to monitor and sense certain physiological characteristics of their patients. Accordingly, a wide variety of devices has been developed for monitoring and sensing many such physiological characteristics. For example, one category of monitoring and sensing devices includes spectrophotometric monitors and sensors. This category of device studies the electromagnetic spectra (e.g., wavelengths of light) and can monitor a suite of physiological parameters. Such devices provide doctors and other healthcare personnel with the information they need to provide quality healthcare for their patients. As a result, such monitoring and sensing devices have become an indispensable part of modern medicine.
Conventional spectrophotometric sensors are typically connected to a monitor via a cable. The cable provides the sensor with power and acts as a conduit for the transmission of signals between the sensor and the monitor. However, the cable also acts to tether the patient to the monitor, preventing unencumbered motion by the patient. As a result, such cable-based systems may not be suitable for ambulatory patients or for applications that require remote monitoring in non-clinical environments. Accordingly, various systems have been proposed which include a patient sensing device connected to a local monitor by way of a wireless link. Unfortunately, sensors that incorporate a wireless link may be limited to power provided on the sensor itself, which may be drained very quickly.